From Saadi’s Bustan: The Selfish Man and the Baghdad Fire
A Weekly Poem from 13th Century Iran
Dear Friends,
I am posting these translations—revised versions of those included in my Selections from Saadi’s Bustan—as a way of making Iran’s culture and literary history visible at a time when that visibility seems more important than ever.
One night, a fire broke out in Baghdad.
I’ve heard that most of the city burned to the ground.
One man stood amidst the dust and smoke,
giving thanks his shop remained intact.
A man of wisdom called him out, “You fool!
Are you the only one you care about,
untroubled by this total devastation
because your livelihood remains unburnt?”
None but the stone-hearted turn to stone
watching others bind stones to their bellies.[1]
How can a rich man eat the food he’s served
when he sees a poor man swallowing blood?
Do not call whole one who seems at ease
if sorrow twists his innards into knots of grief.
Even though his friends have reached the inn,
the tender-hearted man still loses sleep
for those who weren’t able to keep up.
When a king sees an ass weighed down by thorns,
his heart becomes weighed down by that beast’s load.
If you are someone predisposed towards good,
a single line by Saadi will suffice.
This one’s right for you if you will hear it:
If you plant thorns, don’t expect jasmine!
- This image is rooted in a practice of the time that was intended to distract people from hunger pangs and/or to help them feel full by placing weight against the outside of their stomachs. ↩︎
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